Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of the Mendocino Coast Questions for Visitors

You may click on a specific question or scroll down to read them all.

• What goes on during the Sunday services?
• Where do you meet?
• When do you meet?
• What should I wear to Sunday Services?
• How about children?
• Is your meeting place accessible to wheelchairs?
• What beliefs do your congregation members have?
• Will I be welcome if I'm gay or lesbian?
• Are you connected to the Unity or Unification Churches?
• Where can I get answers to other questions I have about Unitarian Universalism?

What goes on during the Sunday services?

• We welcome each other and our guests.
• We sing a hymn or two; on occasion, we have a special musical offering.
• We share our joys and concerns.
• We learn a little about our Unitarian Universalist faith.
• We have a 'Moment of Silence' for individual reflection and communion.
• Most of our service is the sermon, given by our Lay Leader or a guest presenter from the greater community. Our sermons usually focus on spiritual growth, but often explore community issues, social problems, or politics and current affairs.
• After the service, we enjoy coffee, refreshments, and a warm fellowship time with each other.

Where do you meet?
In the Mendocino Community and Recreation Center (back room), in Mendocino, next to the Friendship Baseball Park. (See our Map Page for directions.)

When do you meet?
We meet at 11 a.m. on the first and third Sunday of every month, except July and August, when we have a summer break. The service ends, and coffee time starts, about 12:10.

What should I wear to Sunday Services?
Anything you find comfortable. Most people wear clothes they'd wear meeting with a friend for coffee.

How about children?
Because of our small size, we regret that we don't have a 'Sunday School' or childcare. We hope that situation will change as we grow. But we welcome your children with you - even crying babies (they give us delightful reminders of our essential humanness). We have "kid kits" - bags with crayons, paper and such, for older children to play with while we grownups do our thing.

Is your meeting place accessible to wheelchairs?
Yes. One of our members uses a powered Mobility scooter.

What beliefs do your congregation members have?
To some extent, our Fellowship is a haven for spiritual refugees. Most of us had Protestant, Catholic, or Jewish upbringings, but have left those churches because we felt their beliefs were too rigid and limiting, or no longer fit our lives. Some of us follow the essence of those faiths - and call ourselves Christian UUs or Jewish UUs. But most of us would probably call ourselves 'humanists,' seeking to develop our essential human spirituality. Some would say they are agnostics or atheists; and a few would say they're Buddhists or that they believe in earth-based-spirituality. All of us believe in the individual search for truth and creating a deeper meaning in life.

Will I be welcome if I'm gay or lesbian?
Of course! We believe in "the inherent worth and dignity of each person" . . . and that means everyone. The UU Church is one of only two American churches that endorses and proactively works for same-sex marriages.

Are you connected to the Unity Church, or the Unification Church?
No. We rue the misidentification because of the name similarities. UUs are a mainstream liberal religion with roots that go back to the early Christian era. UUs have been a progressive force in religion and humanity through the ages. Some famous UUs include: Thomas Jefferson (and four other Presidents), Ben Franklin, Albert Schweitzer, Frank Lloyd Wright, Charles Darwin, Susan B. Anthony, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Isaac Newton, Alexander Graham Bell, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Florence Nightingale, Pete Seeger, and Andrew Young.

Where can I get answers to other questions I have about Unitarian Universalism?
We'd suggest you check out the Unitarian Universalist Association, our national organization.
Their FAQ page, About UU is an especially helpful page covering all sorts of questions.

Serving Albion, Caspar, Comptche, Elk, Fort Bragg, Gualala, Little River, Mendocino, Navarro, Philo, Rockport, Westport and inland Mendocino County.